My Dream Job

Left to right, top to bottom. 1)Sometimes I get bored. 2)August the robobarista. 3)Love my partners. 4)Getting ready to walk to work. 5)Some spring coffee art. 6)Goofballs. 7)Sometimes it takes all the screens. 8)Perfect shots of espresso. 9)Running the store solo. 10)Snow days at Starbucks. 11)Tuesdays mean putting the big order downstairs, yup, all of it. 12)More coffee art. 13)Christmas signs I doodled. 14)Shift managers hard at work. 15)Stuff baristas take to work. 16)My store in the summertime.

I rarely write about work. But it's where I spend most of my time. These are a few moments from the last three years, and I realized tonight I don't have enough. I started with this company thinking it would be a summer job, but three years later it has become much more than that. Friends, community, partners, family even. We argue together, cheer together, dance, stress, laugh, pull together like a team, hurt each others feelings, and stand up for one another.

I'll have high standards for the next company I work for.

Turns out my dream job is the one I already have.

Morning Edition

I woke up at 6am this morning, rested, and ready for the day. The first great morning in probably a month, my late night schedule this semester has me up until 11 or 12 every night. It was a rainy gray morning but sometimes those inspire me. 

What did I do with the extra morning energy? 

Made James waffles and eggs for breakfast.

Did all these dishes while I listened to NPR's Morning Edition. 

Finished a New Yorker article and created a presentation for class tonight. 

I need a raise.

The Last of Winter, Hopefully

We are in the deepest, saddest part of winter. The earth is bare and cold, the trees have been empty for months, and James and I are both drinking more coffee than usual to try and keep warm.  

I feel like the poor daffodils in my grandma's front yard. Every year they push up through the frozen dirt and bloom in glorious yellow, only to be covered in snow again. 

Last week I took James out on a lunch date. We're trying to do more of those again, so I chose all-you-can-eat sushi in Brookline. We took the train there, and from the station walked through the neighborhood to our restaurant. We were cold for sure, but it was a much needed walk outside in the fresh air. We ate nine rolls of sushi together and because we were so full didn't eat dinner that night. 

Speaking of James, yesterday he helped me cook for refreshments at church, clean the house, and host a dinner here last night. I'm thankful for him.